I am in the process of ripping my very favorite CDs into FLAC format for best possible conservation. I have been using Winamp, but to my ears it actually changes the original sound somewhat, slightly boosting lows and highs - has anyone else mad ethe experience? To me this became obvious when cross-hearing Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" against the CD. Sure the slight boost livens up the sound, but to me conserving the original is of the utmost importance.
So I have 2 questions: (1) Has anyone else ever thought that Winamp's FLAC plug-in slightly changes the original, trying to flatter it a little bit? (2) What utterly *neutral* FLAC encoders are forum favorites? I ought to note that for the vast majority of the big collection I am i the process of ripping, I am more than happy with 320kbps MP3, really, since most recordings out there in my opinion barely merit 256kbps. I entirely agree with those who claim to hear a difference between the CD original and a 320k MP3, but it has to be a very fine and carefully engineered album. More commercial music is totally happy at 256kbps, since it actually has been murdered in the studio due to the recording loudness wars anyhow... And I have to admit to downloading a fair amount of stuff from iTunes, which of cource comes at 128kbps... and while I'll admit I'll go and re-rip it at 320kbps MP3, it ought to probably only merit 256kbps in my opinion due to the originally compromised format - sounds good though, which makes me assume iTunes tends to doll up the sound and flatter it a little, too. But the latter is just opinion, I am really interested in hearing what anyone would have to say on my 2 questions. Are my ears deceiving me with the Winamp FLAC encoder? -- pablolie ------------------------------------------------------------------------ pablolie's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3816 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32369 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
